NGD: Another new Kramer

[Phantasmagoria]

Had my eye on the new Kramer Striker's for a while now...

....they just dropped the price here by about $150....down to sensible levels ...so I pulled the trigger on one ('Wild Ivy' finish) for what they're selling in the US (w/o the ridiculous local mark-up).

Another sweet Kramer out of the box. This one was probably set up the best of all the ones I've bought (and they've all been exceptionally good)

I literally did'nt need to do a damn thing to it, not even lower the action.

Though I did end up swapping out the bridge pup which was a bit too raunchy/choppy feeling/sounding for my tastes, funny , cuz they look like the pup's in my Baretta's and those sound great. Anyway, threw in a JB Trembucker. I already had in the parts drawer which sounds fantastic in there :bigthumb:.

I'm thinking of putting a Hotrails (also in the parts drawer) in the neck as well ..lets see how that goes..


Test ride (with the JB)

May need to fine tune the pup height a tiny bit but it already plays like butter and sounds amazing :bigthumb:


Specs:

GENERAL
Number of Strings 6
Left-/Right-handed Right-handed
BODY
Body Type Solidbody
Body Shape Striker
Body Material Mahogany
Top Material AAA Figured Maple veneer
Body Finish Gloss
Color Wild Ivy
NECK
Neck Material Maple
Neck Shape K-Speed SlimTaper C
Neck Joint Bolt-on
Radius 12.6"
Fingerboard Material Indian Laurel
Fingerboard Inlay White Dots
Number of Frets 24
Scale Length 25.512"
Nut Width 1.626"
Nut Material Floyd Rose R2 Locking, Top Mount
HARDWARE
Bridge/Tailpiece Floyd Rose Locking Vibrato
Tuners Die-cast
ELECTRONICS
Neck Pickup Kramer Alnico 5 SC-1 Single-coil
Middle Pickup Kramer Alnico 5 SC-1 Single-coil
Bridge Pickup Kramer Alnico 5 HB-1 Zebra Coil Humbucker
Controls 1 x volume, 1 x tone
Switching 5-way blade pickup switch
MISCELLANEOUS
Strings .009-.042

.

 

[Mincer]

Congrats on the new guitar! It sounds great, too!

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Thanks!

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Neck pup (single coil) .It sounds "ok" but .I'll probably swap it out for a Hotrails when I have the time.

 

[Mincer]

I am sure a Hot Rails in the neck would sound vastly different than what is in there now.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Oh yeah, not just "different" but "better' lol....

I have them in three of my other guitars so I know what an improvement to expect..

They are great for shredding

I do have other HSS guitars with killer single coil tones/actual single coils in he neck and that's something I do like as well, but the Hotrails give me a kind of meaty humbucker-ish tone with some single coil kinda twang and character as well and it's a pretty cool sound that I really like. Also they balance out nicely volume-wise with pretty much any humbucker in the bridge :bigthumb:

I'd actually like to try something like a JB jr or 'lil 59 as well... but I'm only seeing full sets of those for strats here & I already have a new Hotrails in my parts drawer so..

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Popped the Hotrails in this axe as well this mornng. Sounds awesome ..a lot better than the stock single coil that was in there ..

 

[Mincer]

I bet! Who knows what they put in there. Pickups are one of the areas they cheap out on newer Kramers. Same thing with new imported Steinbergers.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Yeah, this axe definitely benefits greatly from the pickup upgrade. My cheap Baretta Specials sounds great w/ the stock pup though. They should have used the same pup in this one (don't think it is)..

Here's one with my Vox Night Train pushed w/ the DOD 250 & my new TC electronic Delay/reverb pedals in the loop...

^ Just the JB in the bridge..